Journey through the 20th century with archival films on public affairs.

Covering American History C-SPAN style: with event coverage, eyewitness accounts, and discussions with authors, historians and teachers. Every weekend from 8am ET Saturday to 8am ET Monday on C-SPAN3.

In January, 2011, C-SPAN expanded its programming offerings with a new history-based service airing weekends on C-SPAN3. American History TV (AHTV) features programming geared toward history lovers with 48 hours every weekend of people and events that document the American story.

C-SPAN began C-SPAN3 operations in January 2001 as a digital service. C-SPAN3 is currently available in 49 million digital cable TV households and is streamed live online at C-SPAN.org.

At the time of the launch of American History TV, C-SPAN co-president Susan Swain said: "We’re hoping American History TV does for history enthusiasts what Book TV has done for non-fiction book lovers."

Most Recent Reel America Videos

November 26, 2022
Naval Battles of The War of 1812

This animated Navy Department Training Film produced in 1955 showed naval battles of the War of 1812. Reel America is…
November 26, 2022
Atomic Bomb Safety for Students

American students learned safety and preparedness in case of an atomic bomb explosion in this 1951 public awareness…
November 19, 2022
Grooming and Etiquette for Women in Service

This U.S. Army video from 1970 described suggested etiquette and grooming for women in service, including clothing…

July 24, 2021
Atrocities in Korea

This 1953 U.S. Army “Big Picture” report documents war crimes committed by communist North Korean and Chinese forces…
November 9, 2020
Movies at War

This “Film Bulletin” produced by the U.S. Army Signal Corps shows how training, informational, and Hollywood films were…
July 10, 2021
The Middleton Family at the New York World's Fair

This dramatized film in vivid technicolor follows a mid-Western family as they visit the Westinghouse exhibit at the 1939…